Abstract: Ti2AlC powders with high purity were successfully synthesized via high energy milling and heat treatment of Ti, C and Al powders. The effects of composition and thermal treatment on the formation and purity of Ti2AlC were examined in detail. The results shown a mechanically induced self-propagating reaction (MSR) was triggered to form Ti3AlC2, TiC and TiAlx during the high energy milling. When the as-milled powders were heat treated, Ti2AlC was initially formed by the reaction between TiAl and TiC. With continuously increasing temperature, Ti2AlC was also produced by the reaction between TiAl and Ti3AlC2.

Abstract: Molybdenum disiliside is known as a ceramic material with attractive properties for high temperature structural applications. In this study, mechanical alloying was used to produce MoSi2 powder directly from molybdenum oxide. Mixture of MoO3 and Si powders with commercial purity were exposed to high mechanical activation in a planetary ball mill. The ball to powder mass ratio was selected to be constant at 33:1 and the rotation speed (cup speed) was 600 rpm during the milling operations. Crystallite sizes and structural evolutions during milling were investigated by Xray diffraction analysis. The morphology of the mechanically alloyed powders was evaluated with scanning electron microscope (SEM). From XRD results, it was observed that within 6 hours of milling MoO3 was reduced and fully converted to MoO2. After 17 hours of milling MoO2 also began to reduce and peaks of MoSi2 (both and phases) and Mo were detected. Further milling resulted in a gradual decrease in MoO2 peak intensities because of its continuous reduction. Peaks of MoO2 were also broadened due to refinement of MoO2 crystallite sizes. Scherrer and Williamson-Hall methods using XRD patterns were employed to calculate the mean crystallite size. Calculations indicated that in the sample ball milled for 50 hours, MoSi2 crystallite sizes were less than 100 nm.

Abstract: The paper presents a study on the effect of high energy milling to the crystallite size and lattice strain of α-alumina in zirconia and corundum mills. A Fritsch Pervesette 7 which has a maximum milling speed of 1100 rpm was used for this comparison. Milled samples were analyzed using the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) technique to calculate for the crystallite size using the Scherrer method while lattice strain was determined by the Tangent method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was also used to determine changes in the morphology of the alumina powder sample after the milling process. Zirconia was found to be the better abrasive material and the optimum conditions used to obtain the smallest crystallite size of 51.2 nm are milling speed and time of 1100 rpm and 180 minutes respectively.

Abstract: In this research, the formation mechanisms of a (NiCr)Al-Al2O3 nanocomposite were investigated. The structural changes of powder particles during mechanical alloying were studied by X-ray difractometry (XRD) and the morphology and cross sectional microstructure of powder particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The methodology involved mechanical alloying of NiO, Cr, and Al with molar ratios of 3:3:8. During mechanical alloying, NiO was first quickly reduced by aluminum atoms to produce NiAl nanocrystalline and Al2O3. Subsequently, and when a longer milling time was applied, chromium atoms diffused into the NiAl lattice. The heat treatment of this structure led to the formation of the (NiCr)Al intermetallic compound as well as Al2O3 with crystalline sizes of 23 nm and 58 nm, respectively.